Numb
by IJustDrownedUrGoldfish
Summary: Namine was living an ordinary life with her brother Axel, boyfriend Riku, and his younger brother Sora. When she is kidnapped by Xehanort to be an "experiment", she discovers the truth about her past and the people she loves. Can Riku, Sora, and Axel save her before it's too late? Or will they get caught trying? Namiku and maybe others. Will involve minor character deaths. AU
1. Chapter 1

~Namine~

_Just a Thought_

You don't know what can happen behind closed walls. Willing to object? I've had my whole world twisted around and wrung out like a fresh towel that has just been through the rinse cycle. Have _you_ ever experienced a life-shattering moment in which everything you thought you knew about your past, your friends, your _life-_ all turned out to be lies? Did words that reached your ears seem so unbelievable, even when the evidence of the fact was impossible to deny?

What if things you thought never existed, things that you were fooled into believing were _humanely impossible _stared you right in the face? Would ever listen to reason again? Would you continue to trust your instincts? What if your whole w0rld w4s su993n1y 7urn3d ups1d3 d0wn?

_Chapter 1_

~Namine~

The day that drastically changed my life forever started off like any other normal day. I was at Twilight Town High, waiting for my boyfriend, Riku, to meet me by my locker before first period. He and I have been going out for almost a year. The first time I met him, he was really mysterious. But I couldn't resist his charming green eyes and long, spiky silver hair.

"Hey Naminé!" Riku called as he quickly walked towards me. His younger brother, Sora, lagged behind him. Sora and I were both the same age, but Riku was a year older. Without saying anything, Sora looked at me through his brown bangs and blue eyes and gave a quick wave. I've never seen Sora talk to anyone before except his brother, but that was from a distance and I've never heard his voice. When I tried asking Riku why Sora didn't talk to anyone besides him, Riku said that Sora had been through a lot and had seen things that made him taciturn. He usually stopped talking after that, and I didn't ask any more questions. Sora's business was his business.

"Hi, guys. What's up?" I replied. Riku leaned against the lockers while Sora stood next to him, a perpetual sad expression on his face. I couldn't help but notice how Sora always looked so small and fragile next to his older brother.

"I was thinking that maybe we could all hit up Sunset Sweets after school. I know how much you like their Sea Salt ice cream," Riku teased. I blushed. He was referring to the first day we both got ice cream together. We made out after eating, and I told him his lips tasted salty and sweet - just like my favorite flavor. Sora wasn't there that day because he was sick, but he usually comes with us. "So you in?" Riku asked me.

"Sure. I'll call Axel and tell him to pick me up afterwards." Axel was my brother, and he was in his twenties. Like Riku and Sora, Axel and I lived together by ourselves.

The bell rang, and I picked up my bag. Sora and I had first period together. He nudged Riku with his elbow, silently telling him that he was going to class before walking down the hall. I kissed Riku on the cheek and hurried after Sora.

You may think it was, but the silence between us wasn't that loud. I was so used to it that it wasn't awkward anymore, but it was definitely different from being around Riku. Sora opened the door for me and we walked into English class. Instead of being greeted by our teacher, a man with an eye patch and a scar on his face was standing by the chalkboard. His name was Mr. Braig, and he was our substitute teacher because Mr. Zexion had called in sick a day ago. I took a seat next to my friend, Olette.

"Good morning. I am substituting for Mr. Zexion again today." Mr. Braig stared directly at me with a small smirk on his face.

"Hey Naminé, Mr. Braig's checking you out," Olette joked.

I playfully hit her with my elbow and laughed. "Ew, gross!"

Although, Mr. Braig _had_ been acting strangely while he was substituting for Mr. Zexion. For instance, he kept asking about my brother Axel during class as if they were good friends. After school I asked Axel if he knew Mr. Braig, but he had never heard of him before. I thought that was a little creepy. Sora must have sensed something too, because he was staring intently at Mr. Braig with a weird expression on his face.

"Alright class, settle down and take out your homework. Sora, stop looking like someone just drowned your goldfish," said Mr. Braig.

Sora turned away and proceeded to take out his homework.

"He's so stupid. Everyone knows you can't drown a goldfish," Olette whispered.

I laughed. "At least it's better than his pickle jokes," I whispered back.

I think Sora heard us, because I saw the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.

* * *

After having to endure science class with Mr. Ansem, computer class with Mr. Cid, and a bunch of other classes I'm too lazy to mention, it was finally time to hit up Sunset Sweets with Riku and Sora. Riku was old enough to drive, so we took his car to Sunset Station. Riku parked his silver car in the parking lot and we walked the rest of the way. The shop was inside of the station building. We all bought sea salt ice cream and sat outside on the front steps. I nibbled on my ice cream bar, Sora munched on his, and Riku was practically murdering his treat with his mouth-he liked it that much.

Sora finished his ice cream and nudged Riku, getting him to look at the empty stick in his hand. It had a word printed on it. Riku talked around the stick in his mouth. "Oh, you found a WINNER stick. That means you can get one for free. Man, I wish I'd gotten a WINNER."

Sora solemnly stared at the stick in his hands, lost in thought. Riku and I exchanged looks. Sora was thinking about something depressing. This usually happened on a regular basis. When Sora seemed down, we would both try to cheer him up.

"Hey Sora," I tried. "Bet you don't know why the sun sets red?" Sora just looked at me. I continued, knowing he wasn't going to verbally answer my question. "You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest. Axel taught me that."

Now Sora looked even sadder. _Why is he so sad?_

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" I asked Riku, who was watching his brother.

"Don't worry, Sora's just having a bad day. Right, ice cream boy?" Riku joked, playfully hitting his brother on the back. Sora cracked a smile. I let out a sigh of relief. No matter what mood Sora was in, Riku was always able to make him smile. Even if his jokes were crap.

The clock above the station chimed six times, which told us it was time to leave. Sora stuffed his stick in his pocket. Riku took my hand as we walked to the parking lot.

"You said Axel was gonna pick you up, right?" Riku asked me when we reached his car.

"Yeah, he should be here soon," I said. I glanced around the parking lot, but Axel's red car was nowhere in sight. I didn't mind, since he was usually late all the time.

"Want me to wait with you 'til he comes? I'm sure Sora wouldn't mind," Riku said.

I looked over at Sora. He was leaning against the car and watching the sunset, his hand in his pocket. He looked so lonely… "Nah, that's okay. You two should get home. I'll be fine." I assured him.

"Okay, but call me if anything comes up." Riku gave me a kiss. I waved as he and Sora got into the car and drove off. I sat down at the curb and thought about Sora. Something had to be bothering him. A few minutes later I heard footsteps approaching.

"Last one there has to buy the winner ice cream! Better get flyin' or you'll end up buying!" a boy shouted.

"No fair!" another boy whined.

"Wait up!" a girl called.

Hayner, Pence, and Olette came running down the street. They all shouted greetings as they ran past, but only Olette stopped to talk to me.

"Hey, Nami. Where's Riku and Sora?" she asked.

"They just left." I thought for a moment. Olette might know what's going on with Sora. "Olette, you've been at Twilight Town High since preschool, right?"

"Yeah."

"How long has Sora been so…depressed?" I asked her.

Olette thought for a minute. "Actually, Sora wasn't always like that. He was just another regular goofy kid in our elementary class. Then one day during middle school, Sora and Riku didn't show up. We waited and waited, but after a few weeks we realized they weren't coming back. No one knew what happened. They were gone for about a year and a half when all of a sudden they both showed up on the first day of 8th grade, a year before you came to school. Riku seemed more mature and tough, and Sora was really distant. They didn't tell anyone why or where they went. Whatever happened, it had a major effect on them."

"Wow. I wonder what they went through…" _Military school, probably?_

"OLETTE! PENCE IS TRYING TO EAT YOUR ICE CREAM!" Hayner shouted from the station.

Olette sighed, exasperated. "Those boys…I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?"

"See ya." I waved as she hurried up the street to the clock tower. My phone buzzed as I got a text from Axel: 'I'm almost there. Saved any ice cream for me?'

'Oops XD I forgot to get you one.' I replied. 'I'll be waiting by the parking lot.'

I heard tires screeching against the pavement farther down the road. I stood up and strained to see. Was Axel here already? The vehicle came into view, but I lost interest when I saw that it was just a gray van. Then I noticed something. The van was awfully close to the curb that I was standing on, and it was coming close really fast. I realized with horror that if I didn't move and the van swerved onto the curb I might get run over.

Before I could register what was happening, the back doors opened and a hand shot out and grabbed my arm. I was being pulled off the curb and into the van. I screamed and accidentally dropped my phone on the curb outside. I landed on the floor of the trunk hard, and the doors slammed shut as the vehicle violently turned a corner. I panicked, trying to see through the darkness. The back windows were tinted black, and a wall separated the trunk from the front of the van.

_I'm being kidnapped…I'm being kidnapped!_ I did the only logical thing I could think of doing at a time like this-I screamed again. A hand quickly covered my mouth. It was so dark I could only make out the soft glow of someone's eyes.

"Shut up or I'll shut it for you." A male voice warned me. Something sharp poked my side. I looked down to see what he was threatening me with, and I saw the glint of a very huge knife in his other hand. My heart almost stopped.

When he saw how frightened I was, my captor took his hand off of my mouth and reached behind him. Then he pushed me down onto the ground and tied my wrists together with a thick rope.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, scared.

"Didn't you hear me? I told you to shut the fuck up!" He slapped my face so hard it stunned me. Then he sat down somewhere on the other side of the dark moving van, leaving me on the floor. The slap had stung, but I held back the tears. As the van jerked and swayed, I thought about Axel, who must be waiting for me back at the station. I also thought about Riku, Sora, and Olette, who were probably at home, working on homework or doing something fun. My fear overwhelmed me as I hopelessly tried to get free. _What if I never see them again?_

* * *

**This story will be told in many different POVs as time goes on. Also, it will involve death/torture so...yeah. Please don't read if you are uncomfortable with those things.**

**R&R?**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

~Riku~

"Okay Sora, what's wrong?" I asked him as soon as we got home.

My brother dropped his bag by the door and looked at me with a sad expression. "I was thinking about her again."

I sighed inwardly. We've had this conversation before. Memories of _her_ brought back memories of our time at…_the_ _labs. _But no matter how hard we tried to shut the memories out, the shadows of pain and torture kept haunting us.

"Sora, she's gone and in a better place now. There's nothing we can do to bring her back." The truth hurts, no matter how many times you hear it, and it must've felt like I was punching my brother in the face. While holding a bowling ball.

Sora started to sob. A few years ago I would've told him to toughen up, but the experiments have damaged him in more ways than one. He's been through more nightmares than anyone could ever dream of. "But we could've saved her, Riku! I had the chance and I just-"

I held his shoulders. "Listen to yourself, Sora! We were all weak from experimentation. Things were happening that were beyond our control. We _couldn't_ save her."

I watched the tears fall from Sora's eyes as I softened my voice. "I know how much you miss her, and I do too. But right now, we need to focus on the present because that horrible past is behind us."

Sora nodded. Without another word, he went to his room and closed the door.

~Sora~

_"__Oh, you found a WINNER stick. That means you can get one for free."_

I could've gotten that free ice cream for her. We could've laughed and watched the sunset together. We could've finally been free…If we had ever escaped from the labs together in the first place.

I collapsed onto my bed and put my head in my hands.

A suppressed memory from the labs forced its way into my mind…

Riku and I were in our separate cells in the labs, extremely worn out from that day's torture. I was sick and tired of the white walls, locked cells, and countless experiments that Xehanort performed on my body. I just wanted it to end so badly, but he wasn't ready to kill any of us. At least, that's what I thought.

The overhead speakers crackled, and Xehanort's dreaded voice drifted through the air. _"Experiments 5 and 6, you will be escorted to the Final Destination Room. If you try to resist your escort, you will be severely punished."_

5 and 6- the numbers assigned to me and Riku. The numbers that stripped away our names and made us generic test subjects.

I thought about what Xehanort had said. _Final Destination Room? _

Before I could even contemplate what the name might mean, my cell door opened and there stood Vanitas, my evil other half that Xehanort had created using my DNA. He looked exactly like me, except his hair was black and his eyes yellow. Every time I saw him it was like looking into a sick, twisted mirror.

"Get up," he ordered, his voice slightly deeper than mine.

I couldn't move. My body was too weak. "I…can't…" I managed to choke out. I was so tired. I just wanted to sleep forever and never wake up to this harsh reality I had to call life.

Vanitas looked over his shoulder and ordered someone to carry me. Riku slowly walked into the room, his face pale and weary. He could still stand, unlike me. It amazed me how much he could endure without giving up. He picked me up in his arms, trying to support my weight and his own.

"Hang in there, Sora," he encouraged me.

Vanitas walked down the hall, and Riku had no choice but to follow. We had tried to resist Xehanort and his servant more times than once. Saying that it never turned out well was an understatement.

We passed various rooms, some marked "Endurance Testing" or "Reprogramming Room". I shivered just thinking about what were behind those doors. From my experience, it had to be something painful.

Vanitas stopped in front of the door marked "Final Destination" and opened it. We walked inside. The room contained a circular raised platform encased in a clear glass and a single high chair. I don't mean a baby chair high chair, I mean a 30 ft. high in the air chair. And just who was sitting in that chair? None other than Xehanort- the mentally demented "scientist" who brought us here and ruined our lives. He was smirking down at us.

"Glad to see you could make it." He said in a gravelly voice.

"Like we had any choice!" Riku yelled, holding me tighter in his arms. He was always defiant toward our captors, no matter what torture they put us through afterwards.

"Careful, now. Besides, I'm sure your _friend_ wouldn't want to see you so uptight."

_Our friend? _My heart started to pound._ No, please not…_

Xehanort gestured to the black-haired boy. "Vanitas, allow them to see our guest." Vanitas walked over to the wall behind us, which contained an electric panel filled with different buttons. He punched some of them, and a hole opened up on the floor of the platform.

I gasped. "Kairi!" I felt Riku's body tense beside me.

Very slowly, Kairi rose up out of the ground. She had on a blindfold and her wrists were tied behind her back. She still had the bruises all over her arms since the last time I saw her. "Sora? Riku?" she called, trying to feel along the clear glass. It wasn't soundproof.

"We're here, Kairi." Riku assured her. His breath was coming in short bursts. He still wasn't fully recovered from the last experiment. It seemed like we never were.

"What…are you going to…do to…her?" I asked Xehanort wearily. I was surprised he even heard me.

Xehanort placed his hand against his cheek. "Patience, my boy. As you already know, I have made countless clones from all of you."

I gritted my teeth. _No kidding._ Repliku was created from Riku, Vanitas was created using my DNA, and then a girl was made from Kairi. When Xehanort started his hybrid experiments, Xion was created from me and Kairi, and Roxas was derived from me and another boy I've never met. I didn't get why Xehanort used me to make so much clones. It's not like I wanted to see Riku and Kairi get hurt, but it wasn't fair that they only went through this kind of thing once or twice. Seeing another living version of yourself walking the planet seriously messes you up.

Xehanort spoke again. "You- Experiments 5 and 6- have proved quite useful according to my research. But this little _brat_," he gestured to Kairi. "She is not stable, and therefore cannot produce useful subjects. I am no longer in need of her."

Kairi opened her mouth in shock, ignoring his name-calling. "So…I can finally go home?" she asked hopefully.

Xehanort almost laughed. _Almost. _"No. You will be terminated."

I stopped breathing. Kairi? _Killed? _But she was so full of light…When she was first brought here, Riku and I had already lost hope of going back to our home. Kairi, on the other hand, was persistent. No matter how many tests she went through, she still had hope. Nothing fazed her, and she was always determined not to let Xehanort change who she was.

"Don't hurt her!" Riku yelled. Not that the stupid old man would listen to him.

I was right. Xehanort ignored him. "Vanitas, you know what to do."

"Yes, Master. But first…" Vanitas turned and looked straight at me. His amber eyes bored into mine with a fiery intensity. My head started to pound.I soon realized what he was doing with a sickening feeling in my stomach.

When Vanitas was made, Xehanort programmed him to have a "special", seriously disturbing connection to me. He was able to make me see and feel things from his perspective without my consent. I didn't know if I could do this back to him yet, but I definitely didn't want him in my brain. I mentally struggled against his will, but he was too strong.

_No…!_

"Sora!" Riku yelled anxiously as I went even limper in his arms, my eyes partly open. But I couldn't see through my own eyes anymore. I was looking through Vanitas'.

Riku rested my body on the floor and tried to stop Vanitas. I heard Vanitas- or rather myself- talking. "Remember, if you hurt me, you also hurt Sora." Riku clenched his fists, knowing he was right. I wanted to tell him to go ahead and stop Vanitas, to do anything to save Kairi, but I couldn't talk through my clone in this state. I couldn't control him. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything.

Xehanort flicked his wrist and a cage sprouted up around Riku. "Just in case you get any ideas," he said to him. "Enjoy the show."

Vanitas-or rather I- walked up to the glass panel and slid a hidden door open. Kairi turned towards the sound, a look of pure fear on her face. I heard Riku pleading for Xehanort to stop me. I stepped onto the platform towards Kairi.

"Hello, Kairi," I said, ripping her blindfold off. I saw her beautiful blue eyes. They were filled with extreme terror.

She cowered, tears filling her eyes. "Vanitas, please-"

I grabbed her tied wrists and turned her back to me, making her face Riku and my half-conscious body. I reached into one of my pockets and pulled out a long, gleaming knife. "Any last words to your friends before I take your life?"

Kairi shivered, but she also stood tall. Although she knew her time had come, she wouldn't admit defeat. "Sora, Riku, you two will always be my light. You're both my best friends. Never forget. That's the truth." A single tear slid down her cheek.

And then I was stabbing her in the heart. As I pulled out the knife her unconscious body fell to the ground. Xehanort smiled. Riku shouted and cried. I felt a triumphant smirk spread across my face, but inside, I was dying.

_"__Red is the color that travels the farthest…"_

Red.

Kairi's hair was red.

So was her blood.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

~Axel~

I walked through the parking lot, looking for my sister. The sun was setting but it was still so hot…I ran a hand through my flaming red hair. _Damn, I really wish I had an ice cream right now. _

"Naminè!" I called. "Yo, where are you, sis?" I walked to the curb. I saw something white lying on the ground. _Nami's phone. _"So she dropped it…But then why would she also leave her bag out here on the ground?" I thought aloud.

I placed her stuff in the car and then walked towards the station building, thinking she was inside. On the way there I almost got run over by this group of kids whom I recognized as her classmates- Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

"Axel! Thank goodness we found you!" Pence said.

I was surprised. "You were looking for me?"

"It's important, Axel!" Olette said, trying to get my attention. "WewereontheclocktowerwhenwesawNaminèbeingkidnappe dintothisvanandwetriedtohelpherbutwecouldn'tgetdow nherefastenoughandnowshe'sgone-" Olette was talking so fast I couldn't understand a word she was saying.

"Um, what?" I asked.

"Naminé's been kidnapped!" Hayner shouted.

"What?! Tell me exactly what happened!"

Pence spoke. "We were on the clock tower when we saw a gray van pull up next to her. Someone grabbed her arm, pulled her inside, and drove off!"

I freaked out. "No, this is not happening…" What if _he _had kidnapped her? _No, he didn't. Get ahold of yourself. _

"We have to get to the police station. C'mon, I'll drive you guys there."

We sped down the street. I was panicking the whole time. _Please don't let him have her…Please._

~Naminé~

I was greeted by pitch black darkness as I opened my eyes. _I must've dozed off…_I freaked out as I tried to remember where I was. _Oh yeah, I was kidnapped and put into this van. There's also someone hiding in the darkness that might actually be able to kill me. _Nothing's scarier than knowing there's someone about 3 feet away from you who is holding a knife but you can't even see him.

Suddenly the van jerked to a stop. I heard the driver's door open and shut, and footsteps approached the back of the van.

_This is it. Once they open that door, I will escape._

The handle made a clicking sound as it was pushed downward and the door opened. The faint light from the moon lit up the trunk. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light. I looked around for an opening. I gasped at what I saw instead. Sitting right across me from me, with a smirk on his face, was Sora.

* * *

**Cliffhanger! O.o Sorry this chapter was so short...the next one will be longer! Tell me what you guys think, please? With sprinkles on top?**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

~Naminé~

Okay, it _would've _been Sora if he had black hair and yellow eyes. But it was _him, _wasn't it?

"Sora?!" I exclaimed.

He grimaced. "_Hell_ to the fuck no! I am Vanitas. Don't _ever _get me confused with him again!"

"Vanitas," another voice said.

We both turned towards the back of the van, where a very old man was standing. "There is no time for introductions. She will know who we are soon enough."

_This is the crazy person who was driving? Who helped kidnap me? Why does an old man need _me?!

"What are you going to do with me?" I asked, scooting farther away from the both of them.

He ignored me. "Take her out." He commanded to Vanitas, who couldn't be much older than me.

The boy reached out and jerked me out of the van. I almost fell to the ground, but regained my balance in time. The scenery around me was frightening. Behind the van a long, narrow winding road stretched out into the pitch black of the night. On either side of the road there was literally nothing; one wrong turn and you could fall a couple hundred feet to your doom. There were no railings along the sides; it was a miracle we even made it here alive at the speed we were going. In front of us was a weird looking…castle. There was no other way to describe the brown building. It had a lot of windows, and it awkward-looking pieces of it stretched up to the sky.

"Move it." Vanitas poked me with the knife and shoved me towards the huge brown door. I had no choice but to walk towards this strange place. I had no idea where we were. This didn't seem like a part of Twilight Town, but it couldn't be too far away. I guessed that we'd only been on the road for about two hours, tops. The old man walked next to me, sandwiching me between himself and Vanitas. It was frightening how much Vanitas looked like Sora; it was hard to believe that it wasn't him.

Inside the building everything was white. The floors, walls, ceilings, everything. The walls, like everything else, were perfect. There were no bumps or chips in the paint, and no stains could be found anywhere. The doors closed behind us and I heard a few locks click into place. _Crap. There goes Plan B. _

We walked straight down a long hallway for what seemed like hours. Out of curiosity, I looked back over my shoulders. I gasped. The pathway led to a turn behind us, but we hadn't changed our direction once since coming inside. Did that mean the walls…moved?! _What the hell?_

The old man addressed me, getting my attention. "It's good to finally have you back, Naminé."

"_What_ are you talking about? I don't know you! And how do you know my name?!"

He stopped walking and lifted my chin. My hands were still tied and I couldn't fight his grip. His fingers felt like rough tree branches. "I have been overseeing your progress for a long time. Now that I have you, don't expect to get out of here that easily. In fact, don't expect to escape at all." He let go of me and continued walking. Vanitas nudged me forward again, harder this time.

I focused on the white tiles below my feet as the sound of our footsteps echoed throughout the hall. _This place…There has to be a way out. When they aren't looking, I'll run. Then I'll find my way back to Twilight Town._

The two suddenly stopped next to a white door that almost blended in with the wall. It was marked "Holding Cell." They sure were organized for a pair of rogue kidnappers. I hoped I wasn't underestimating them too much.

"This is where you will be staying during your time here." The old man said. He pushed some buttons next to the door. I expected a dingy basement-like type of setting, but it was just an empty white room. _This doesn't look so bad…Almost like a hotel. But instead of room service, I get creepy kidnappers._

Vanitas quickly untied the ropes around my hands and pushed me in so hard I fell to the floor. I turned around to glare at them as the door started to close, but they were already gone. The door slammed shut, the sound echoing off the walls. I was alone.

I walked up to the cell door, rubbing my wrists. They were sore from the rope Vanitas had used on them. The door had one of those steel handles that you had to push down on to get it open. There were no keyholes or visible locks, but there was a small flashing red light next to the handle. A window the size of a notebook made of a very clear and hard material was on the door, too. I tried pushing the handle even though I knew it was locked. Then I looked through the window. Same white hallway, with similar doors on each side. I sighed, knowing I was trapped. I leaned against the door and slid down until I was sitting on the floor.

I felt completely and utterly hopeless. I didn't have my phone, and I didn't even know if anyone saw the kidnapping. I would probably end up on the news as a runaway or something. Of course, Axel would know if something was up.

My heart started pounding. What if this is a family thing? What if they somehow knew us and were out to get Axel too? Maybe even Riku and Sora? I didn't want them to get dragged into this with me.

_I hope they're safe… _

~Axel~

Hayner, Olette, Pence, and I rushed into the Twilight Town Police Station. A stocky-looking guy with a rigid face and orange hair looked up from the front desk. His name tag read 'Aeleus'. "How can I help you all?" he asked as we came in.

I tried to catch my breath. "We're here to report a kidnapping." Did my voice sound shaky? I hope it didn't sound shaky…

The guy picked up a pen. "Victim's name?"

"Naminé Sparks. She's my sister." Aeleus's face expression changed slightly and I hesitated, trying to remember if that was the name I'd enrolled her in school with. We didn't have parents, and therefore no last names. Luckily, her school didn't need to see her birth certificate when she'd registered. Times were tough, and we didn't need the authorities or any crazy people chasing us down.

"Victim's description?" the officer asked, scribbling something down.

"5"5, shoulder-length blonde hair, blue eyes…"

"She was wearing a white shirt, jeans, and some sandals," Olette added.

"Okay, now can you tell me what happened?" Aeleus asked. Hayner and his friends told the whole story. As I listened for the second time, panic welled up inside of my chest. _Gray van…drive-by kidnapping…_

No…This was all too familiar…

"Excuse me, sir," the officer said to me, trying to get my attention.

"Sorry. Yeah?" I said, snapping out of my daze.

"We're going to do all that we can to bring your sister back. I advise that you all keep a look out for any suspicious characters, and never go anywhere alone."

"Thank you, officer."

We walked out into the crisp night air. I shivered. I hated the cold. Cold temperatures brought back bad memories…

_I hope Naminé isn't freezing right now._

I offered her classmates a ride back to their homes. There was no way in _hell _I was gonna let them walk home by themselves after my sister had just gotten kidnapped. The thought of what might happen to them was just too horrible.

"I hope Naminé is okay," said Olette from the backseat, hugging her arms.

"Yeah," I said. _I also hope she isn't with _him.

* * *

**How does Xehanort know Namine? And who's this "him" guy Axel's thinking about? Hmmm...**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

~Naminé~

I sat against the back wall, staring at the door. I shivered. It was at the most 40 degrees in here, and I wasn't wearing a jacket. I looked up at the white ceiling. There were no vents anywhere. _If it's so cold and there are no vents, then where is the AC coming from?_ I wondered.

I heard a click, and the door started to open. I froze, but not just from the cold. Vanitas stood in the doorway, looking tall and menacing.

"Swallow this." He threw a small, light-blue colored pill at me. I let it fall on the floor.

"What makes you think I'm going to take that?" I said, my voice slightly shaking. My heart rate accelerated when I realized he was blocking the only exit. What if he tried something…?

"It curbs your hunger and gives you necessary nutrients." He said plainly. "You'll starve to death without it."

He turned and walked out, closing the door behind him. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I stared at the tiny pill. There was _no way_ I was gonna take that. For all I knew, it could be a date rape drug to subdue me. Or even worse, it might kill me. I scooted away from it when the idea of a bomb came into my mind. It seemed highly unlikely since the pill was smaller than a pea, but after seeing the walls in this building move, I started to doubt my sanity.

My stomach growled, begging for food. The only thing I had eaten since lunch was sea salt ice cream, and that was hours ago. I think.

In a way, I wanted to believe Vanitas, but how could a little pill like that ease my hunger? Did he really think I was that stupid?

I sighed. _Axel, Riku, Sora…please come soon._

~Sora~

I couldn't fall asleep. Thinking about Kairi made me more alert, more cautious. I was always jumping at the slightest of sounds, thinking that Xehanort was finally coming to get me.

So it was a miracle that my head didn't hit the ceiling when the phone started ringing. I heard Riku shut the shower off. He always answered the phone because he knew I wouldn't say hello if I picked it up. I rarely talk, so I don't use phones unless it's an emergency call to Riku.

"Shit, who the hell is _that?"_ Riku said, annoyed. He walked down the hallway with a towel around his waist, his hair dripping wet.

I lay back down on my bed, waiting to hear the conversation.

"Oh, hey Axel. Did Naminé forget something?...Yeah, I'm sitting…What?! Shit!...Ok yea…Damn!…I knew I shouldn't have left her alone…Ok good…Damn…Thanks, man…Yea ok…You too…'Night."

The phone made a click as it landed in the receiver. "God." I heard Riku say, disbelief in his voice. I stepped out of my room and towards my brother. He was standing still, his body tense. The phrase "I knew I shouldn't have left her alone," bounced around in my head. We had a lot of regrets from our past, but this…did this have to do with the labs or something else entirely?

"Sora, it's Naminé." Riku took a deep breath and looked at me. "She's been kidnapped."

~Vanitas~

I stared at the image on the computer monitor. The stubborn blonde sat huddled in a corner, shivering her ass off. A tiny, almost invisible blue object lay on the floor beside her.

"She won't take it." I informed Xehanort, who was sitting at a different computer.

"Oh, she will, soon enough. She will be driven to desperation until she forces herself to take it." Xehanort said in his gravelly voice.

"What if she'd rather die?" I kicked my feet up on the table. "I'm pretty sure the other test subjects would if they had the chance."

"She will not give up as long as she thinks someone is coming to rescue her. She wouldn't want her loved ones to find her dead." He typed something on the computer. "After she takes the pill, we will examine her just in case Xigbar's intel was wrong again. We can't take any more risks."

I pressed a button on the keyboard and another image popped up. The top half of the screen showed a silver-haired boy asleep in his bed and on the bottom of the screen was his brother, also sleeping. "What about these two? Don't you need them back?"

Xehanort glanced at the monitor. "Their time will come soon enough. Right now, we need to focus on making Naminé our next vessel."

* * *

**So now Riku and Sora know about Namine's kidnapping...What plan does Xehanort have for Namine?**

**R&R por favor? ^^**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

~Naminé~ (Day 2)

I awoke to the worst stomach cramp in the history of cramps. I don't know how long I was sleeping, but I knew I was out for enough time to make me feel like I was starving. I grabbed my stomach and clenched my teeth as another painful cramp hit me. I curled up on my side and shivered. This place was perpetually cold, and it only made things worse. **(A/N Think of the coldest place you've ever been to. Got it? Now times that by ten. That's how cold it is at the labs.)**

I spotted the tiny blue pill that Vanitas had left for me on the floor. The color reminded me of sea salt ice cream. I groaned. I thought of the burnt French toast Axel would make almost every morning. I could almost smell the "healthy" cafeteria food my school served. My stomach felt like it was about to explode.

I closed my eyes. I was too weak to cry out for food. Thinking about it didn't help, either. I opened my eyes and saw the pill again.

_"You'll starve to death without it."_

I cursed under my breath. If I didn't at least try, it would be like giving up. No one would ever know what happened to me. Riku would never forgive himself; Axel might go insane, and Sora…what would happen to poor, innocent Sora?

The image of Sora's sad eyes persuaded my fingers to reach out and close around the pill. _If this kills me, then at least I tried._

I placed it on my tongue and swallowed.

I started shivering uncontrollably. I was right- I'm gonna die here. My stomach turned to ice as my body seemed to freeze on the inside. My veins turned an unnatural shade of blue, like the sky. The cold spread from my insides to my skin. A tingly feeling traveled along my body and my skin grew so pale it looked like snow. If I actually believed in paranormal myths, I would've thought I was turning into a vampire or something.

The stomach cramps stopped, and all I could feel was the cold. I didn't feel hungry or sick. I didn't even need to use the bathroom. It's like everything inside of me just…_stopped. _I sighed with shaky relief. I was still alive. Freezing, but living.

The door swung open and Vanitas entered. He looked annoyed. "Get up. You need to be examined."

"Examined? Do I look like a lab experiment?" I asked with all the sarcasm I could muster while shivering.

Vanitas actually laughed. He had one of those creepy laughs that you would expect from a deranged clown in a scary movie. I briefly thought of Sora and wondered what his laugh sounded like.

"Hurry up. I don't have all day," Vanitas said, the amusement already fading from his voice. He turned and started walking down the hall. I hesitantly followed him. I needed to find out more about the layout of this place so that I could escape. Why not start now?

Vanitas walked ahead of me for a few paces, not looking back once. I saw this as my chance. I stopped and slowly started to walk backwards away from him. He didn't notice and kept walking. I was about to turn and make a dash for it when I saw Sora standing a few feet in front of Vanitas. I blinked a few times to make sure he was real. He was, and he looked scared. Sora suddenly turned and ran ahead of us. I passed Vanitas and chased after him. He turned a corner and I followed him through an open door. I stepped inside of the room, but I couldn't see Sora anywhere. The only thing in there was a metal medical lab table and fluorescent lights. There were no other doors or windows.

"Sora!" I cried out. No one answered. _Where did he go? How did he just disappear?_

Vanitas approached behind me. "You're so naïve," he said.

"Where's the boy who just ran in here?" I asked him, ignoring his comment.

Vanitas ignored my question in return. He walked towards me, causing me to back away from him. I eventually bumped into the table. He was only a few inches away from me, and I didn't like it one bit. "Sit," he commanded.

I shook my head.

He reached into his pocket and quickly drew out a knife. He held the weapon close to my neck. "I said, _sit._" Venom dripped from his voice.

I quickly sat on the cold metal slab, fearfully staring at the silver blade.

"Now lay down."

I instantly lay down. As soon as my head touched the metal, cuffs appeared from the table and wrapped around my arms and feet. I struggled, but couldn't get out. _What's happening? What's he gonna do to me?_

Vanitas watched me struggle. "It's no use. Those bonds are made of platinum. You can't break free." He looked over his shoulder. "Get in here," he said to someone outside.

I strained my neck to see who it was. _Sora or Riku? Axel? _

A girl who was my height strode into the room with quiet steps. She had short raven-black hair and bangs. She kept her head down as she came towards me. She wouldn't meet my gaze. She was wearing a black tank top and black short pants. Red slashes were visible on her arms and legs. She walked with a slight limp. _What did they do to you? _I thought.

When she reached the table, the girl finally lifted her head up enough for me to see her face. I gasped in surprise. Her face was just like mine, only more thin and weary. We had the same blue eyes.

She looked me in the eyes. I saw the wonder in hers for just a moment before she clutched her head and cried out in pain. She shut her eyes, stumbling away from me. I didn't know what to do. "What's wrong with her?!" I asked Vanitas frantically. He just stood by the door, watching.

The girl cried out again and dropped to her knees, her knuckles turning white against her temple. I wanted to help, but I couldn't. I didn't even know what was causing her affliction.

My heart started to pound violently against my chest. It was beating so hard it hurt. My breathing became rapid. I didn't know what was going on; it was like this girl's pain was causing mine.

"Sora." The girl whispered before dropping to the floor, unconscious. I stared at her in shock, a million questions floating around in my head. My heartbeat slowed down, and my breathing returned to normal.

Vanitas walked over and picked her up, slinging her over his back as if she was a sack of flour. As he headed out the door he glanced over his shoulder with a smug expression and answered my question. "Everything."

~Sora~

"Selphie?" "Here."

"Olette?" "Present."

"Hayner?" "President." "HAYNER." "Fine. Present."

"Sora?" I raised my hand.

"Naminé?"

…

"Naminé Sparks?"

…

Mr. Braig looked around the classroom. "She's not here." Olette said solemnly. "She's…missing."

"Well, that's a shame," said Mr. Braig, not looking surprised. I swore a saw the tiniest smirk on his face. "But we can't let a little bad news stop us from learning, right?"

No one answered.

"Hmph. As if. Not as long as I'm around."

Unfortunately, Mr. Braig has been around for a while now. Our original English teacher, Mr. Zexion, had been out sick for about a week.

I stared out the window, daydreaming. I really hoped Naminé was alright. For her to end up like Kairi…I just couldn't stand it. I told myself that she was somewhere safer than the labs and that the police would find her soon. I told myself a lot of things since leaving the labs.

I knew I was only fooling myself every time.

* * *

**Xion's here! ^.^ Well, that's not exactly a good thing for her in this story...And unfortunately Mr. Braig's still here too.**

**Sorry for the late update, my Internet's been down/extremely slow for the past few weeks and I just got it back today. I have no idea if it will crash again so if you don't hear from me for a while that's the reason.**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

~Riku~

I walked into computer class, the last period before lunch. I took a seat next to Mr. Cid, who was standing at the front of the class with his hands on his waist.

"Okay class," he said gruffly, talking around the piece of grass he always seemed to have in his mouth. "Today we're going to learn how to communicate with each other using the school's new webcam software."

"Hmph, it's about time we did something interesting," my classmate Seifer commented.

"Things are about to get even more interesting if you don't shut your yapper!" Mr. Cid warned. I grinned. Mr. Cid was my favorite teacher. He was tough, understanding, and didn't take crap from anyone. Not even Seifer, who was now slouching in his seat with his mouth shut.

"Now where was I…Oh yeah, this lesson is kinda complicated, so pay close attention…"

After class, Mr. Cid kept me behind to talk about something. "Ah, my favorite student." Mr. Cid said, playfully patting me on the shoulder. "Now listen, I need to tell you something, and it's real serious." He quickly stuck his head out the door and looked both ways down the hall. When he saw no one, he closed the door and faced me.

"Now you know who Mr. Braig is, don't you?"

I nodded. "He's Sora's substitute teacher."

"Right. Now this is gonna sound weird…But I have a strange suspicion about him, and my suspicions are usually right. Something's off about him. I want you to keep a close eye on your brother, okay? Don't let him go near that man alone." Mr. Cid said.

I thought about this for a moment. "You think he'll hurt Sora?" I had learned not to trust many people after the labs, and Mr. Braig did seem like an un-trustworthy guy.

"I think he'll do anything to get what he wants, whatever that is. Now this is just my opinion, but I think he could have something to do with Naminé's disappearance. She was kidnapped after he came to this school, correct?"

I nodded solemnly.

"Well, that's just my hunch. I have no evidence against that man. Just remember to take caution around him, just in case. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Mr. Cid." I left the classroom, heading to my locker. I passed by Mr. Braig's classroom on my way there. I saw him through the little window on the door. He was standing with his back to the closed door, talking on a cell phone. Now that I had a new view of him, I thought I had every right to snoop around, just in case. After making sure the halls were deserted, I sidled up next to door and flattened myself against the wall. I caught glimpses of the conversation.

"No one suspects anything…I know…I _am_ taking this seriously… Today?...Okay…Yes sir, I understand."

I heard a click as his phone snapped shut. I pushed away from the wall and hurriedly walked down the hall just in case he opened the door. I thought about what I'd just heard while I put my stuff away in my locker. _No one suspects anything…_Was he talking about Naminé? A surprise birthday party? There was no way to tell. And why would he call someone else "sir"? Was the man on the other end of the line _that _superior to him?

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. I couldn't get too carried away. It was only a suspicion, after all. But it was one that my instincts were telling me not to avoid.

I headed towards the cafeteria to meet Sora for lunch.

~Naminé~

I was strapped to the metal table and left alone for what seemed like hours. I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall and I turned to see Vanitas entering the room. The girl wasn't with him.

"The experiments are postponed until tomorrow. It's time to meet your roommates," Vanitas said. He pushed a hidden button that was on the side of the table and the cuffs disappeared through the metal. I followed him out the door. He stopped in front of two double doors marked "Courtyard" and opened them.

In front of us was a huge, white room. Bright white lights hung from the high ceiling. Some kids my age were in there talking to each other. They all turned and stared at me when we entered.

Vanitas roughly pushed me inside. I fell to the ground and he shut the door, leaving me with the other kids.

"Naminé?"

I looked up, wondering who had known and called my name. I gasped. "Fuu!"

Fuu stood over me, her red eyes watching me in shock. "Why are you here?" she asked, helping me up.

"I'm not sure…I thought you went away to visit some family members." I couldn't believe Fuu was here, too. She was in my class and had supposedly gone to visit some relatives about two weeks ago.

"They took me in the middle of the night," Fuu said, shivering. "This isn't right. I don't belong here. This is a mistake! I don't know what they want, but I need to get out of here. I miss Sei-" she stopped. "I miss everything. These white walls make me sick." She slumped to the ground and sighed, trying to calm down. "You should meet the others. Who knows how long it will take for our friends to find us?"

I nodded glumly, looking around. I saw the same black-haired girl from before and-

I did a double take. There was a boy standing with his back facing me, talking to the girl. His silver hair was short, barely reaching the middle of his neck. He was about as tall as me. Besides the shorter height and hair, everything about him resembled Riku.

I walked over to them hesitantly. The girl saw me, but she didn't start yelling in pain like before. Instead she smiled and addressed me.

"Hello, Number 12…I can't believe you're still alive."

* * *

**R&R por favor? ^-^**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

~Naminé~

"What do you mean you can't believe I'm still alive? I'm sorry but I wasn't the one who was in a lot of pain when we met what I assume was a few hours ago, remember? And my name isn't 'Number 12,' it's _Naminé_." I told the girl who looked so much like me.

The silver-haired boy turned around, studying me. His face was exactly like my boyfriend's, only younger-looking. His eyes met mine and he blushed, looking away.

The raven-haired girl stepped closer to me, studying my face. "It really _is _you," she said with awe. "I didn't think all of you would've made it out in time, but you did."

"Can someone please explain what's going on here?" I begged impatiently. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, that's right. You weren't exactly in the best state to remember what happened," the girl said.

"I think the reason I don't remember anything is because whatever 'happened' _didn't_ happen. I've certainly never met you before."

"I'm sure you remember Lea," the girl persisted.

"Who?"

"He had green eyes and spiky red hair," she said, sticking her hands out of her head for effect.

"You mean my brother, Axel? You know him?"

"He changed his name?" the girl murmured. The girl's expression suddenly changed. "Wait, you mean he's still alive?!"

"Geez, why do you assume that everyone's dead?"

"Oh my gosh…I'm so glad he's okay." She actually started crying with relief. The Riku look-alike put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"Do you have any brothers?" I asked him out of curiosity.

He shook his head. "Not exactly…" he said with Riku's voice. _This is so strange._

The double doors opened with a click and Vanitas stood in the doorway. His eyes swept the room. I imagined him doing a head count in his mind.

"All of you, rooms. Now," he said with authority. God, I hate this guy! But he looks so much like Sora that it's hard to be angry at him for too long.

Fuu quickly obeyed his orders and rushed out the open door, her hands hugging her arms. The silver-haired boy followed with his head down. I stepped in line behind the girl, whom I noticed wasn't limping anymore. Vanitas walked behind me. The thought of him being so close and beyond my line of sight made me shiver. He _had _pulled a knife on me more than once, after all.

We reached the hall where my room was located. _It looks like all the other hallways,_ I noticed with dismay. What if I got lost while trying to escape? Why didn't everyone try to run in different directions while we were walking? Four against one wasn't very good odds. Were there more people like Vanitas lurking around?

Vanitas quickly entered a code on the electric panel on my door, and it slid open. He was standing directly in front of the panel, so I didn't get to see the numbers. He did the same with the door across from mine.

"We're roommates," the girl said, smiling. I didn't get how she was so calm in a place like this. Wasn't she afraid? Didn't she want to get out? Or had she lost all hope already?

_Let's hope that it's not for long, _I thought as a reply, entering the room and letting the door shut behind me.

~Vanitas~

"That stupid teacher is on to something," I said into the receiver. Xehanort was on the other end, in another room doing some research. I stayed by the monitor, replaying the blonde man's conversation with his student. Xehanort and I now had access to just about every inch of the school, thanks to the webcam system that Mr. Cid had set up and "Mr. Braig" hacked into. With computers in every classroom, I was one click away from knowing what was going on every second of the day.

"Then we'll get rid of him," Xehanort replied. "There is no room for mistakes." He hung up the phone.

I switched cameras to show Mr. Braig's classroom and scoffed. _Mr. Braig. _What a name. Inside these white walls, he was known as Xigbar, the reconnaissance guy. He wasn't much of a Mr. _anything _in here.

On the screen, his cell phone rang and he picked it up. I listened as he talked to Xehanort.

A shadow moved passed the door and I switched cameras again. It was Riku. The little punk was eavesdropping. I wish I could go there and strangle him. Because Sora loves Riku in a brotherly sort of way, I'm forced to hate him. It's how our emotions are connected. If he hates someone, I like them. If he likes them, I hate them. It's just an automatic reaction that's impossible to avoid. It's like my heart is the opposite of his.

I hated that Xehanort made us so connected, but it did have its little perks. For instance, I'll be able to show Sora what it's like to really suffer. Very soon.

~Sora~

Riku and I sat at a table with Selphie, Tidus, Hayner, Pence, and Olette eating lunch. There was an empty spot next to Riku where Naminé usually sat.

"Man, I can't believe Naminé went missing only yesterday. It feels like it's been forever, you know what I mean?" Olette said.

"Whoever took her is gonna be so sorry when I get my hands on them!" Hayner added.

Riku told us his suspicions about Mr. Braig and the phone conversation he heard. "Everyone just be on your guard, okay? And don't make a scene; it'll only make things look worse." Everyone agreed, Hayner somewhat reluctantly.

A tennis ball flew through the air and hit Hayner in the head. He turned around furiously. Seifer was standing behind our table, grinning triumphantly. "Hey, watch it!" Hayner yelled.

"Oops, guess I didn't see you there," Seifer said sarcastically, walking off towards his friend Rai.

"What's his problem?" Hayner wondered, rubbing his head.

"Ever since Fuu's gone away, Seifer's been kinda cranky," Tidus informed us. "She was supposed to be back already, but she hasn't called him or anything. Everyone thinks that she broke up with Seifer and switched schools because of him."

"I guess we both kinda have something in common," my brother said.

Without warning, the fire alarm went off. We quickly stood up. The emergency procedure was to head to the vacant lot across the street and line up with our advisories.

As we crossed the street, I looked back at the school. There wasn't any smoke rising from it. I was grateful I couldn't smell it either. The sight and scent of a raging fire reminded me of the day we escaped from the labs, and I did not need to think about that right now. Or ever again.

I joined my classmates in line, but Mr. Braig wasn't there. Surely the other teachers must've briefed him on this kind of thing?

Even though they were supposed to keep quiet, a lot of the students were talking about the fire. Some girls were worried about their stuff, but the boys were grateful to be out of class. Other kids complained about not being able to bring their food.

Our principal, Mr. Ansem (**A/N: the Wise, not the Heartless), **stood in front us as the teachers did head counts. He looked around, confused. "Has anyone seen Mr. Cid or Mr. Braig?" he called out, concerned.

_Mr. Cid's missing, too? _I thought. I spotted Riku in the crowd of students. He seemed worried. No one answered Mr. Ansem.

"Well, the firemen are on their way," Mr. Ansem announced. "We'll stay here until they give the 'all clear'."

Everyone went to their friends and started to have conversations. I walked over to Riku and gave him a questioning look. He looked at me through his bangs. "I'm fine. It's just…" He looked back towards the school. "I talked to Mr. Cid right before lunch. That's when he told me about-" His eyes widened. "Shit!"

I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

"I have to go back. It can't be a coincidence that he _and _Mr. Braig are missing." He started to push past me but I grabbed his arm. I gave him a look that said 'Don't be stupid.'

"You have to understand, Sora. If I don't help him and something happens…I'll never forgive myself." He closed his eyes. Sirens sounded through the air. "Let go of me. Please."

I couldn't believe he would even think of doing something so stupid. Didn't he understand that I didn't want anything to happen to _him? _Besides Axel, and with Naminé gone, he was basically all I had left.

But I knew where he was coming from. I've had so many regrets and all I've wanted since back then were second chances. When someone needs your help, you _can't _just sit back and do nothing. I sighed and reluctantly let go.

Riku ruffled my hair and smiled a little. "I'll be back soon." Then he pushed through the crowd of students, running towards the street. Mr. Ansem called out for him to stop, but he didn't. The other students wondered what was going on with curious looks on their faces. I watched my brother as he ran back to the school, which was now being engulfed by burning flames.

~Riku~

I ran as fast as I could, covering my mouth with my sleeve to block out the smoke. I ignored Mr. Ansem calling after me. I reached the front doors and pulled one of them open. Fresh gray smoke poured out, and I waved my arms to clear it. I could still see inside, which was good. "Mr. Cid!" I called out, scanning the hallway. No one answered. I walked deeper in, looking through doorways and down corridors. I called his name again and coughed a little. My eyes were burning from the smoke. I had to hurry.

I doubled back and headed to his classroom. The smoke was getting thicker on the way there, and I tried not to breathe too much in. But I couldn't stop coughing, which made me inhale more.

I thought I heard voices and struggled to reach the room. The smoke coming out of the open doorway was too dark to see anything, but an orange glow was being emitted from inside. _Mr. Cid could be in there, burning alive._

My sweat mixed with my tears, which were also caused by the smoke. If he _was _in there, I was already too late.

I turned around, knowing I had to get out before I passed out. It was harder to see everything now, and I nearly bumped into a wall. I started coughing uncontrollably, the thick smoke filling my lungs. My knees gave out and I fell to the ground. _No…Keep going. _I told myself. But it was getting harder to breathe.

I shouldn't be in this situation. I've been through worse. I can't die from getting trapped by a _fire._

I didn't even get to see Naminé again. What if she's waiting for me to rescue her? I don't know if she's still alright. And Sora…I didn't even tell him goodbye.

I've had a lot of near-death experiences at the labs, but this really felt like the end. My lungs were seizing; I couldn't even cough anymore.

I struggled to look up, squinting through the smoke. The hazy outline of someone coming towards me filled my vision. Then I passed out, the deadly smoke swirling around me.

* * *

**Riku! D: Don't you just hate cliffhangers?**

**The good news: Yay long chapter!**

**The bad news: School starts next week, so I may be updating less...**


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

~Naminé~

I sat staring at the perpetual white wall, as if we were having a staring contest and it wasn't going to blink anytime soon. My eyes became unfocused as I thought about what the raven-haired girl had said yesterday. Or what I assumed was yesterday. There was no way to tell time here.

I summed up what I knew in my head:

1. I'm stuck in this prison with a girl that looks like me, a boy that looks like Riku, Fuu, Vanitas, the old guy, possibly Sora (unless I was hallucinating), and who knows how many other people.

2. The girl says she knows me and Axel, but I have no idea who _she_ is.

3. That strange pill took away my hunger. Helpful, but extremely unsettling.

4. The walls seem to move (unless I was hallucinating again).

5. It was always _so freaking cold._

6. Axel, Riku, and Sora are probably all worried sick about me and going crazy wondering what happened.

The girl's voice resonated in my head: "_I didn't think all of you would've made it out in time…I can't believe you're still alive." _

I didn't know what she was talking about. I've lived with Axel my whole life. Or at least, I was pretty sure I did. I couldn't remember anything beyond the past two years, though. Axel said that I had suffered from trauma and that telling me what had happened would make things very difficult for me and bring back painful memories. When I asked Axel about our parents, he said we didn't have any. He was never really clear on details.

It's funny how little you can know about yourself without even realizing it. The only things in my life I knew for sure were 1) Axel was my brother, 2) I was a fifteen-year-old sophomore at Twilight Town High, and 3) Riku had been my boyfriend for about a year.

Not much to make memories out of. I wonder why I've never asked Axel more about my past. What is it that he didn't want to tell me?

The only person I could get answers from right now was the girl across the hall. I leaned against my door, looking out the clear window and shivering from the cold metal. "Hey," I called out. "Anyone there?"

The girl appeared behind her door. "I'm here," she replied.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Xion."

"Okay, Xion. Why are we here? What does that creepy old guy want with us?

"His name is Xehanort. He's using us as experiments, Naminé," she answered dejectedly.

"Experiments for what?" I wondered, an uneasy feeling creeping into my gut.

Xion peered down the hall both ways as best she could from her window. "I'm not sure. But he's been successful in some areas. In others…" she sounded choked up, as if she was about to cry.

Dread washed through me. What kind of sick person was Xehanort? What does he do with his 'experiments'? "You said you know me and Axel," I said, changing the subject. "How?"

She looked at me, a meaningful expression in her eyes. "You and Lea- I mean Axel, were both here at the labs, a long time ago. He saved you from Xehanort."

"Axel…_saved _me? What do you mean?" I asked Xion. As soon as I spoke, I heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"I shouldn't say anything else right now," Xion said quickly and quietly, stepping farther back into her room away from the window. "I don't know if it's safe."

Vanitas appeared and punched some numbers into the panel by Xion's door. He pulled the door open and stood there, waiting. She got out without any prompting and followed him back down the hallway. I watched her go and wondered what awaited me in this sick, white place.

~Axel~

I hung up the phone, furious. Why couldn't the police get any leads on Naminé? I can't stand being at home not knowing where she is, who has her, or what's happened to her. I was so upset not even ice cream could cheer me up now. Ice cream always cheers me up.

I walked into the kitchen, refusing to look at Naminé's drawing of me, her, Riku, and Sora taped on the fridge. I got a lighter from the drawer and flicked it on. I placed my hand through the fire and watched as the orange flame danced across my skin. The fire got larger, and soon it covered my whole hand. But I wasn't getting burned. In fact, I couldn't feel any pain.

My immunity to fire is the only good thing that resulted from being in the labs, the place I've been trapped in for years before escaping. Well, that and Naminé. She's the closest person I have in my life. I can't stand to lose her like I lost…

_"Roxas! Quit copying me!" I heard Sora complain from across the Courtyard. It was "social time" at the labs, and right now my friend Roxas was imitating just about every movement Sora was doing._

_"I would if I could!" Roxas shot back. "But I can't! And you know why!"_

_Xion, Riku, Repliku, and I watched helplessly as they argued back and forth. Roxas was partly Sora's clone, and he had a habit of adapting to Sora's actions. But since Sora had seen his best friend Kairi die in his arms (technically speaking) just a few days earlier, he definitely wasn't in the mood for an annoying game of 'monkey see, monkey do'._

_"Well at least _try_! I'm tired of having other people like me around! I am _me_! Nobody else should be!" Sora yelled with his fists clenched. _

_I've never seen Sora so angry before. He was really suffering from his loss. But Roxas couldn't help himself. He also hated being a copied version of someone else, let alone a mix of two people._

_Suddenly Sora lunged for Roxas and started punching his face. Roxas tried to fight back. They were both already bruised from experiments, but it looked like Sora didn't give a crap._

_"Stop!" I yelled, rushing in and prying Sora off of my friend. I helped Roxas up. "Just stop it, okay? I get how you feel right now but that doesn't mean we should turn against each other," I tried to reason. "This is all Xehanort's doing-"_

_"You know _nothing_ about how I feel!_ _You don't have clones!_ You _didn't watch_ _your best friend die_ right in front of your face_!_" _Sora angrily kicked a wall._ _Riku strode over and began to talk to him in hushed tones._

_I checked Roxas' face. "You all right?"_

_"Y-yeah," he said. "But I get why he's so agitated. I can feel his pain over losing Kairi." He put his hand over his heart. "Right here."_

_"Me too," Xion pitched in solemnly. _

_I sighed. It figured. They were both a part of Sora. _

_In the days after that, Roxas slipped in and out of a coma. We didn't see him in the courtyard for a while. Meanwhile, Xehanort continued his experiments._

_One of those experiments left me close to unconsciousness, as usual. He had applied shock tests to my brain for hours, seeing how long I would last until blacking out. Every now and then I would feel leftover jolts of electricity zapping my nerves. I was strapped into a cold metal chair, and I couldn't lift my head from where it lay heavily on my chest. It was getting harder to keep my eyes open. I wanted to let go and sleep, but the shocks kept bringing me back to consciousness._

_Xehanort was in the room with me, supervising the gruesome experiment as he always did. I heard footsteps approaching, and whoever it was came into the room. "Xehanort," the person greeted, addressing him._

Isa._ That traitor. He was kidnapped along with_ _me, but he'd practically_ begged _to be on their side in order to_ _avoid a fate worse than death. A fate that was a living hell I've had to endure alone until Sora and Riku were brought here and Roxas and Xion were created. He betrayed me. He_ watched _me suffer_ every day. _I_ _refused to look at him_.

_"Experiment 9 has just woken up from his coma, sir," he continued. I wanted to punch him so hard he would fly through the wall. The least he could do was call him Roxas!_

_I heard some metal clanking against a table. Xehanort was no doubt looking for something else to torture me with. I acted like I was unconscious, which wasn't very difficult._

_"He's too unstable," Xehanort mused. "It figures…He was the first hybrid." I practically heard the rusty gears shifting in his old, stupid head. "I have no more need of him. Dispose of Experiment 9…Carry Experiment 4 back to his room first."_

_My breath caught. Another painful shock went through me and I yelled in agony, forgetting about my act. Isa walked up to my chair and bent down to look in my eyes. His were filled with amusement and menace. "Did you hear that, Lea? Your little friend is gonna be killed. And_ I_ get to do the honors," he smirked._

_My whole being filled with rage. I watched as he pressed the button that undid the clasps on the chair. Then I attacked._

_Isa was surprised; he thought I was too weak to do anything to him. He thought I wouldn't beat up a friend. Newsflash: He wasn't my _friend _anymore. Hadn't been for years. More like an enemy that could rot in hell for all I care._

_I punched his face, my arm crying out in pain with each hit. But it felt so good to see him suffer that I didn't stop._

_Not until a powerful electrical current went through my skull. My whole body seized; my mouth was wide open but not able to reveal any sound because of the pain. I fell back on the floor to see Xehanort holding a high-tech Taser. I involuntary clenched my teeth and took ragged breaths, black spots appearing across my vision._

_Isa stood up with an angry expression, rubbing his face that now showed signs of bruises. I struggled to smile in spite of the pain. Xehanort was furious. "That will not go unpunished," he spat. "You will accompany Saix to Experiment 9's termination and watch him _die_."_

_Isa grinned evilly, but I didn't care what Xehanort said. I wasn't going to let him lay a finger on Roxas. _

_Isa came over to my inert body and roughly grabbed my arm. He dragged me along the floor and down the hall. My head hung back uncomfortably, and I squinted against the ceiling lights. I was being dragged to a cell by my ex-best friend, as if I was a prisoner and he was the jailer. _

_I remembered how we used to play police when we were younger, back when we were safe in Radiant Garden. I would always volunteer to be the troublemaker, claiming that being a policeman was too boring. Isa never objected to his role and pretended to lock me up behind a wrought-iron fence. Then he would switch sides and help me escape, and we would both break out of jail. _

_The overhead lights seemed to dim as my eyelids tried to shut._

What happened to you, Isa?

* * *

**Yay I got another one in before school ^.^**

**When will Naminé learn the truth? What is the truth, really? And oh no, Roxy! I really don't wanna kill him off but I can't guarantee anything…**

**So um, as you have read, Riku wasn't in this chapter. I know you are probably dying to know what happened to him but the story will be focusing on Axel for a while.**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10 (Flashback)_

~Axel~

_Do you like mazes? Maybe you've had to figure one out on paper. Or you've probably been to some kind of place with one of those giant hedge mazes and frolicked through there for hours. At least for you, it was safe. If worse came to worse, you could've used a flare gun, or maybe someone was there to help you out. _

_Let me tell you: I'd rather be eaten by hungry, blood-thirsty _sharks_ than go back in a maze. Mazes are full of haunted memories. My best friend died in a maze, and I couldn't help him._

_It wasn't that he couldn't get out fast enough. In fact, he was restrained. I couldn't help him because I didn't reach him in time. I was too late…_

"You have five minutes to find Experiment 9." Isa's voice boomed through the overhead speakers. I was in a small, square area facing a metal door. White walls made up the other sides of the cramped space. This was the day Roxas was supposed to be terminated. I hadn't had a chance to talk to him since Sora had attacked him.

"If you do not find him in five minutes, he will be killed. For every minute you do not find him, he will be tortured relentlessly."

I gritted my teeth. Who came up with these stupid ideas, anyway? Isa was never the creative type. Why was Xehanort doing this to me, to _us? _We barely knew the guy, even though we've been here for years.

"Your search will commence in ten seconds."

I had nothing on me; of course they wouldn't give me any help. I nervously rubbed my hands together.

"Ten."

I didn't know what I would encounter.

"Nine."

I didn't even know how big this maze was.

"Eight."

But I had to find Roxas.

"Seven."

His life was literally in my hands.

"Six."

I couldn't let Xehanort and Isa get away with this.

"Five."

I went closer to the metal door.

"Four."

My heart pounded loudly against my chest.

"Three."

I'd never felt more afraid in my life.

"Two."

What if I couldn't-

"One."

The metal slab slid open, and a harsh light attacked my vision. I opened my eyes slightly to see that I was in some sort of metal passageway. It was much different from the pure white walls that have surrounded me for the past few years. It's what I imagine the inside of an AC vent to look like. But I didn't have time to admire the architecture now. I had to act fast.

I jogged ahead, following the single path. The shiny walls were so smooth that I could see my reflections in them. I saw myself for the first time in months. I kinda looked like a walking skeleton with flaming red hair. My eyes were still a bright green, but they had bags under them. I had on a black flannel vest and long, black pants. We were all forced to wear an outfit like this.

Eventually I came to a fork in the path. The wall directly in front of me had a timer with big, red numbers on it. _4:30. 4:29…_

_When nothing goes right, go left, _I thought, and went in that direction. I was running through another long metal hallway when the reflections of me on the walls started blinking as if they were some sort of TV screen that someone was trying to change the channel on. Then suddenly numerous images of Roxas appeared on the walls. He was in a similar metal room. His wrists were in bonds that were hanging off the ceiling, and his feet were suspended off the ground by similar bonds and chains, though he was so high up he would've been dangling anyway. The only clothes he had on were a pair of long, black pants. He was looking around frantically and struggling to break free, even though the chains would barely move when he did so. It seemed as if I could just reach out and touch him…

I slapped my hands against the wall, trying to break through. I barely had any strength in me, but I had to try. Pain shot up my wrists on impact. The wall was still made of steel, not some kind of see-through glass. I tried the wall on the other side, which showed duplicates of the same image. No such luck.

"Roxas!" I cried out, hoping he could hear me. "Roxas, I'm right here!" None of the images responded. I called his name again, but he just kept struggling against the bonds. If he couldn't even hear me, it meant I wasn't anywhere near him.

Some speakers overhead crackled. "It has been one minute and your _friend _still hasn't found you. I guess he's not trying hard enough," Isa's voice taunted. He was speaking to Roxas, but we could both hear him.

"Shut up!" I yelled at him through the empty, cold air. "I _am _trying! I would never let Roxas down!"

He didn't answer me back. Just then Roxas said, "I don't believe you. Lea would _never _give up on a friend!" His voice was met with a million echoes as all of his images on the walls spoke. I smiled, relieved that Roxas didn't believe that traitor over me.

Then the weirdest thing ever happened, and that's saying something. Numerous blue creatures started appearing out of the ground around Roxas. They looked and behaved like mutant dogs. They had arms and legs that ended in a single point, and solid red eyes. No animal could survive in the labs-it was too cold and they would freeze to death- so apparently they were beings Xehanort had created.

They all jumped and started clawing at Roxas' bare chest and face. I gasped and my eyes widened. He cried out in agony as long red gashes appeared on his skin. He could do nothing to hold them back.

I started running down the hall again, adrenaline and fury coursing through me. That _bitch_ Isa! Messing with Roxas like he was some kind of toy! Roxas' echoing cries followed me through the maze for a little while longer until the images blinked out and I was left with my reflections again.

I had less than four minutes left. If I didn't find Roxas soon, they were going to kill him. And he would suffer a horrible, painful death.

* * *

**Isa is so horrible...I hate his guts. Those monsters that were attacking Roxas were Unversed, just in case you didn't get it.**

**Next chapter will focus on Axel and Roxas too, and then it should switch back to Sora, Riku, and the others.**


End file.
